Abstract

HUNT, Xanthe et al. Family disability, poverty and parenting stress: Analysis of a cross-sectional study in Kenya. Afr. j. disabil. (Online) [online]. 2021, vol.10, pp.1-8. ISSN 2226-7220.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ajod.v10i0.744.

BACKGROUND: Households with a disabled member, be they a caregiver or a child, are poorer than households not affected by disability. Poverty, caregiving as a person with a disability and being the caregiver of a child with a disability can lead to increased parenting stress OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine whether parenting stress experienced by caregivers in a household with a disabled member is greater when the disabled member is the caregiver, or the child, and how much of these respective relationships is explained by poverty. METHOD: We collected cross-sectional data using a demographic survey, the Washington Group Questions on adult disability, the 10 Questions on child disability and the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, from 465 caregivers enrolled in a non-governmental child development programme in Kenya. RESULTS: Households with a disabled member were poorer than households without a disabled member. Parenting stress of disabled caregivers was higher than parenting stress of non-disabled caregivers; however, this relationship disappeared when socio-economic status was controlled for. Caregivers of disabled children were more stressed than caregivers of non-disabled children, and this effect was not explained by differences in socio-economic status. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the importance of developing a comprehensive understanding of the stressors facing households with a disabled member, particularly if that member is a child, so that supportive interventions can adequately cater to the needs of caregivers, and their children, in the context of poverty.

Keywords : poverty; parent child relationship; parenting stress; disabled children; child development; child rearing.

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